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 p983  Vigintisexviri

Unsigned article on p983 of

William Smith, D.C.L., LL.D.:
A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, John Murray, London, 1875.

VIGINTISEXVIRI, were twenty-six magistratus minores, among whom were included the triumviri capitales, the triumviri monetales, the quatuorviri viarum curandarum for the city, the two curatores viarum for the roads outside the city, the decemviri litibus (stlitibus) judicandis, and the four praefects who were sent into Campania for the purpose of administering justice there. Augustus reduced the number of officers of this college to twenty (vigintiviri), as the two curatores viarum for the roads outside the city and the four Campanian praefects were abolished (Dion Cass. LIV.26). Down to the time of Augustus the sons of senators had generally sought and obtained a place in the college of the vigintisexviri, it being the first step towards the higher offices of the republic; but in A.D. 13 a senatusconsultum was passed ordaining that only equites should be eligible to the college of the vigintiviri. The consequence of this was that the vigintiviri had no seats in the senate, unless they had held some other magistracy which conferred this right upon them (Dion Cass l.c.). The age at which a person might become a vigintivir appears to have been twenty. (Compare Dion Cass. LX.5; Tac. Annal. III.29, with Lipsius' note; Spart. Did. Julian. 1). An account of the magistrates forming this college has been given in separate articles.

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